Innholdsfortegnelse for 2022-08-28 i Sunday Independent

In this age of clean energy, South Africa should be thanking her lucky stars that coal is now back in vogue, that is until the Russian war on Ukraine is put to bed. Russia has been the largest supplier of coal to Europe, but with Vladimir Putin playing Russian roulette with lives across the border, the situation has become untenable. Europe is casting her glance elsewhere and suddenly the coal reserves of Mpumalanga have become the prime focus of import moguls. Under normal circumstances, this should be all round good news for the stakeholders in the coal industry. But the curse that is capitalism will ensure that only the rich get richer. We are running an article in the paper today that says, as you read this, the international markets…

POLICE top brass are trying to cover up for a major-general who allegedly took a sex worker to his house for a night of passion, but instead she allegedly drugged him, ransacked his home and stole his service firearm, bank cards, cellphone and laptop with sensitive information. Sunday Independent can today reveal that the general from crime intelligence whose name is known to the publication went to Villieria police station in Pretoria on August 6 this year to open a case of housebreaking and robbery. The general allegedly told police he was robbed by armed suspects while he was sitting in a car with a friend and that the “suspects entered the premises from an empty house next door”. He reported that he was robbed “around 04:06 to 04:13” and…

From Page 1 Masuku added that the community thought there would be a spin-off from having mines around, such as jobs and small businesses subcontracted to do odd jobs such as cutting grass. But the mines are demanding matric certificates for cleaners and tea-makers. “Is the sugar being weighed and measured using complicated machines? The majority of the locals never went to school because there are no high schools in our area. “They are not ploughing back to even change the situation for the future generation. Communities around the mines are not benefiting at all. Our mining charter is also not protecting us,” he said. There is only one primary school and once the children graduate they have to go to a school in Middelburg or Witbank more than 40km…

Mouth-watering bunny chow recipes to whet the appetite will be on the menu at the fifth Blue Ribbon Kota Festival in Soweto on the 3rd and 4th September at the Elkah Cricket Oval in Rockville. Aimed at regaling locals and giving small businesses a chance to make some moolah from their best bunny, the festival makes a welcome return after the Covid-19 pandemic, with the aim of promoting small business and giving Sowetans a different flavour. “The idea was born from a need to have a social festival that pairs music with our township staple cuisine food that is affordable to everyone. When we came up with the concept, we automatically received buy-in from the community, everyone was thinking about it, but I guess we had the courage to see…

FNB Arts Joburg is back and better. The 15-day-long exhibition is part of the FNB Arts Joburg’s contribution to stimulate economic growth and inclusivity to attract art lovers who inhabit or visit the City of Gold to immerse themselves in its cultural offerings. As part of the festival’s goal to grow the economy, Mandla Sibeko, the director of FNB Arts Joburg, said the initiative created a platform for artists to meet existing and prospective buyers. This year’s exhibition will showcase the artworks of 18 exhibitors. “Over and above the fair itself, we expose potential buyers to intimate events so they can learn more about the artists and how they create their artwork – for them to understand the artist before they purchase the artworks,” said Sibeko. Sibeko added that the…

WHILE other toddlers climb jungle gyms and play, Tylen Cochrane, 3, from Empangeni in KwaZulu-Natal, spends time researching the functions of the human body and galaxies, and often counts up to a decillion while reciting the periodic table. His parents, Karen and Garth Cochrane, have been learning daily from their son about the natural, life and physical sciences but admit they often have to rely on the internet to fully understand the little boy. Karen said Tylen was delivered prematurely by a Caesarean section. She said the baby was about two weeks old when he started moving around the floor. At the time, she had begun reading two to three children’s books to him as he was able to concentrate for long periods. When Tylen reached nine months, he could…

A woman says she intends to take the political and educational world by storm with her expression of patriotism through her one-of-a-kind voting manual. Thabile Mdhluli, 25, who is from Verulam, said the purpose of her manual was to tackle voter apathy issues and provide voter education. After the poor turnout, especially among the youth, during the 2021 local government elections, Mdhluli felt compelled to produce her educational guide. Voting Manual – A manual for first-time voters, is the name given to her booklet. “There is so much negativity surrounding voting. A lot of people share the sentiment that even if they voted, nothing changes,” said Mdhluli. “So I started to think about the first-time voter and how discouraging it could get. I created the manual because I really wanted…

If in rounding up August (as supposedly the month when South Africa is supposed to up the tempo in fighting gender-based violence) we are to drag all men to some confessional – we will mostly discover that there are many who sometime in their life had engaged in what has come to be known as stealthing. This is the act of removing a condom during sex without the consent of their partner. Stealthing is perpetrated by men of all sexualities who feel entitled to “spread their seed” or simply because they feel sex is better without the latex barrier. This act of surreptitiously removing a condom during sex without consent isn't something new; it is just that now it has been given a name. It is part of the sick,…

On June 14, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced the establishment of a committee to negotiate peace talks with the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). After several months without large-scale clashes between their respective troops, the Ethiopian federal government and the Tigray regional authorities had confirmed their desire to join efforts to end the war that began in November 2020. However, on Wednesday, fighting broke out between the two sides, along the northern border of Tigray province. Hopes for a negotiated settlement, which have stalled for weeks, had been dwindling over the past few weeks. Positions on both sides had hardened. The Tigray position to demand the return of Western Tigray, under the control of Amhara groups who believe the area historically belongs to them, has emerged as one…

Much has been said about Russia and China’s apparent disregard for international law and norms undermining global security and stability. Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and its conflict in Ukraine earlier this year has earned it the label of a pariah state in the West. China has been called a revisionist power bent on undermining international law due to its activities in the Indo-Pacific, in global platforms and in regions like Africa. The Western countries have wasted no time in assuming the role of high priests of international law. However, less is being said and written about how the US has led the assault on international law that holds together the state system governing the relations between states, by embarking on unilateral military ventures that violate the sovereignty of…

Far-right President Jair Bolsonaro is not exactly known for mild rhetoric, but with Brazil deeply divided and heading into elections, he is counting on a more moderate image and economic upturn to win, his communications minister said. Bolsonaro is trailing his leftist nemesis, ex-president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (2003-2010), ahead of the October 2 election, bruised by a weak economy, his controversial handling of Covid-19 and what critics call his extremism. But his communications chief, Fabio Faria, said he was confident that a critical mass of Brazilians would vote for him. |…

“We can only look at ourselves.” Those were Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber’s words following their shocker of a defeat to the Wallabies. The Springboks extended their horror run Down Under to lose 25-17. Get this right – given the South Africans’ record in Australia, where they haven’t won since 2013 – it wasn’t even the result that was shocking, it was their performance. You’ll be hard pressed to recall a worse Bok showing in recent years. Yes, the ref was far from even meeting a semi-decent level of officiating and Nic White should be short-listed at the Oscars for his theatrics. But, at the end of the day, the Boks had nobody to blame but themselves for that embarrassing show. Out of all the disappointments in the loss, the Boks…

Victor Mpitsang says the national selectors will continue to support Temba Bavuma in the T20 format despite the Proteas’ recent T20 series win in England providing them with more attacking options in the batting order. “Temba is our leader,” Mpitsang, the panel’s convenor, stated. Bavuma missed the tour to England after picking up an elbow injury during South Africa’s T20 tour to India in June. In his absence, Reeza Hendricks, who earned the player of the series award, and Rilee Rossouw starred in a 2-1 victory over England. “The guys took their opportunities and played different roles as well,” said Mpitsang. “The way the guys have been playing, it just shows you what grabbing your opportunity is all about. It’s a headache, but it’s a lovely headache to have.…

Tourism businesses have long known that it’s imperative to become more sustainable and actively seek ways to reduce their carbon footprint. And many have been making great strides in this regard, with operators and hotels committing to be better and do better when it comes to environmental impact. For example, earlier this year, the Radisson Hotel Group made it known that it is making a strong commitment to decarbonise its business by setting ambitious emission reduction targets to be net zero by 2050. While the industry is showing up to ensure a greener and cleaner future, travellers also have a role to play. So, what can travellers do? How can tourists become more responsible in the way that they travel? Research accommodation A good first step in planning an environmentally…

The author who documented her 10-year breast cancer journey in her autobiography When Hope Whispers has revealed on Instagram that her battle with cancer is far from over. Zoleka Mandela was treated for breast cancer in 2011, and in March 2012, at the age of 32, she had both her breasts surgically removed. Sadly, it did not end there and in 2016 her cancer returned, but she continued her brave fight. The activist and granddaughter of anti-apartheid icons Nelson and Winnie Mandela wrote a harrowing post on her Instagram feed. “23.08.2022 I’ve had a sore back for more than a month now and recently consulted with my GP when I could no longer tolerate the excruciating pain in my left rib. “I went for an X-ray of my chest and…

PROBABLY to some people Phophi ke Phaphi (is too big for her boots), but she is a hero to others. And probably, Limpopo's MEC for Health, Phophi Ramathuba, made comments that might have been insensitive to the pains of others, extending her mandate to condemning a head of state in public. She may be condemned from left, right and centre, but that would not provide answers to the many questions that arise. Isn’t it true that some foreign nationals are not registered? Is it possible that health facilities in South Africa can also cater for people from outside the country? Can they even afford to cater for South African citizens and give them quality health care? Is it wrong to say President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government must care for its citizens?…

JOBURG mayor Dr Mpho Phalatse is said to be on the warpath and it is alleged she intends to remove certain individuals who are perceived to be in her way. According to sources in the city, Phalatse has allegedly come up with a hit list that includes members of her party and senior managers in key positions. The sources added that the resignation of the executive director in the city manager’s office, Mesuli Mlandu, was the beginning. Mlandu, in his resignation, said the decision followed the concealment of a report he submitted to the speaker of council, Vasco da Gama, in June. But the sources said he was pushed out. “He is the first casualty of the mayor’s hit list. He was pushed out and more people are going to…

MUSIC is said to be a universal language, one that can be understood across different borders by people of different ethnicities. It is also timeless and can touch different generations, even years from the day it was released. At just 22, South African violinist Neo Motsatse was not even born when iconic South African composer and musician Dorothy Masuka released some of her songs. But because of the power of music to transcend generations and live forever, Motsatse has been inspired by Masuka and will be posthumously celebrating and honouring her on what would have been Masuka’s 87th birthday on Saturday, September 3, 2022, at the Lyric Theatre in Johannesburg. The celebration, titled Seasons: Dorothy Masuka’s Songbook in the Style of Vivaldi, is a musical production weaving Masuka’s prolific work…

The administrator at the Central Johannesburg College (CJC) has uncovered a criminal network of collusion between landlords, former students and staff in which the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has been defrauded of millions of rand through a scam of ghost students. While the NSFAS continues to pay the fees for the bogus students accommodated by the landlords, the beneficiaries only exist on paper. “I pretend to be housing students, but there are no students,” says administrator, Mpho Diago, whose two year and six month clean-up operation comes to an end on October 18. What the unscrupulous landlords do, with the aid of the other conspirators, is submit bogus contracts to NSFAS who then unwittingly honour these fake agreements. This has been going on for a number of years…

WHEN faced with seemingly intract- able political challenges the ANC’s approach is to adopt a two-pronged strategy. The first part involves burying its head in the sand and trusting that whatever political storm it faces will eventually subside. This is the strategy that the party adopted when former President Thabo Mbeki flirted with discredited ideas on HIV/Aids. In the absence of a strong opposition to dislodge it from power, this is a risk the ANC can manage. This worked some of the time. In the end the ANC buckled under political pressure, though at a political cost locally and internationally. The second part of the strategy is to adopt the posture of pretending to do something about its internal contradictions. To this end, politically seductive catch phrases such as new…

LATE last month French President Emmanuel Macron concluded a tour of Cameroon, Benin and Guinea- Bissau. And he ended a three-day visit to Algeria yesterday. At first glance, his choice of countries is difficult to understand. Three former French colonies – Cameroon, Benin and Algeria – and a former Portuguese colony, Guinea-Bissau, seem very different. Nevertheless, taken together, Macron’s visits tell a story in which France is doing penance for its colonial crimes while simultaneously trying to maintain the influence it gained through colonialism. These two themes also emerged at the New France Africa Summit in October 2021 in Montpelier. There, Macron promised investments in African technology start-ups as a way to increase the influence of French private business, while also promoting the scholar Achille Mbembe’s report on the new…

Living in one of the poorest parts of the Middle East and facing some of the region’s highest fuel costs, Palestinians in Gaza are burning plastic to make affordable diesel. It’s an economic and practical solution in a territory blockaded by Israel for 15 years, but one which poses environmental and health risks. Burning plastic releases dioxins, mercury and other toxic gases which pose “a threat to vegetation, human and animal health”, according to the UN Environment Programme. Another danger of burning plastic, is that the tank could explode” from the heat”. |…

VETERAN striker Lehlohonolo Majoro scored a goal in the second half of extra time to see AmaZulu through to the semi-finals of the MTN8 at the expense of Cape Town City at Athlone Stadium yesterday. The game ended 2-1 to Usuthu. AmaZulu became the first team to book their place in the semi-finals of the MTN8. They will aim to end a trophy drought which has extended to 30 years. Usuthu made a fast start to the game, taking the lead after nine minutes. Gabadinho Mhango took advantage of City’s defensive miscommunication and played the ball towards Augustine Kwem who slotted it beyond the reach of Darren Keet. City had 70% ball possession in the first half of normal time but had only two shots on target. Khanyisa Mayo was…

Nigerian Afrobeats star Burna Boy burst onto the global stage in 2018, with a slew of irresistible hits on his third album, Outside accompanied by good looks and charm. Grammy and BET awards helped firm up his status within a highly competitive global music industry. Before his international success, which has been cemented by his latest offering Love, Damini (2022), Burna spent years experimenting with various sounds in London and South Africa and his ragga-inspired vocal style became distinctive. His 2014, contribution to South African hip hop mainstay AKA’s All Eyes on Me first put him on the African radar. His hook on the multiple award-winning track demonstrated he was an artist to watch, channelling West African and Jamaican musical flavours. Although he was deemed talented by his South African…

Seven months since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, empirical evidence shows that, far from a peace treaty, the world should prepare for the worst turmoil before any truce to silence the guns and tanks occurs. In the week during which the US president marked Ukraine’s independence day by announcing extensive military aid to Kyiv to the tune of multimillion dollars, Russia’s president Vladimir Putin signed a decree authorising the expansion of his country’s military from 1.9 million to 2.4 million. This is the clearest sign that the conflict, initially anticipated to be short-lived, could be prolonged unpredictably. The compulsory military conscription of people between the ages of 18 and 27 guarantees the much-needed numbers in the Russian army. One interpretation of Putin’s latest decree could be that “forewarned…

COAL mine companies are raking in millions in profits as the demand for their product in Europe has soared in the past few months while communities in and around the mining operations are still living below the poverty line. As a result of the Russian-Ukraine war and the sanctions against Russia, European countries have turned to South Africa, Colombia, Australia and the US for a cheap alternative supply of coal and gas. That has seen the price of coal soaring. Currently, the international markets buy coal from SA at $345 (R5 826) a ton. During the first five months of 2022, European countries imported more than three million tons of coal from South Africa compared to 500 000 tons in 2021. That represented an increase of 600% more than the…

From Page 1 Xoliswa Mhlongo Solomon Mphakathi Dorothy Mabuza Tsepho Mhanuke Thedi Moropa Motapane Mothotoane Vicky Manyathi Sinaye Nxumalo Patrick Phophi The sources said the list of managers facing removal indicated that the Phalatse-led coalition was on the hunt to purge the city of employees perceived to be related to the ANC. They added that the MMC for economic development, Nkuli Mbundu, was being used as an attack dog against those employees while he gets protection from Phalatse. “Action SA MMC is the mayor’s pet and the DA-led coalition government covers up for MMC in manufacturing reports against employees and executives to rule the nest. “MMC lies, again and again, but the mayor does not suspend him… She continuously defends Mbundu even though there are calls for his head. “He…

THE Department of Education in the Eastern Cape will this year test matric students in Xhosa and Sotho in their final examinations set to start in October. Having introduced the mother tongue pilot project in 2020, the department said that more than 87 000 matric pupils were expected to write the trial examinations in the two vernacular languages. The department’s spokesperson, Malibongwe Mtima, in an interview with the SABC said the trial would seek to elevate the country’s indigenous languages as mediums of instruction in the province and then across the country at a later stage. “The Department of Basic Education is also moving forward with plans for ‘mother tongue teaching’, enabling students to study and write exams in their home languages,” Mtima said. Mtima added that around 800 schools…

Media personality Andile Ncube, a father of four, says he doesn’t believe in the term or labelling of a ‘single parent’. “I don’t believe in being a ‘single father’ or a ‘single mother’. Your relationship status has got nothing to do with parenthood. I may be single when it comes to my relationship status but I’m not a single father because I raise my children with their mothers and I have beautiful relationships with them,” he said. Ncube was the latest father to be in conversation with Thato “TT” Mbha driving the vision of Amatyma forward. During the insightful Amatyma discussion, he said he was raised by his stepfather after his parents divorced. “The father who raised me is not the father who birthed me and I’ve had typically good…

Eighteen years is the age when one transits from being a child to an adult. At least according to the law of the land. Before then, what one does, even if it may be grave before the society, is considered to be the act of a minor who must be understood and helped to grow up. It is for that reason that the criminal justice system would still treat a hardened killer or rapist as a juvenile and commit them to a correctional centre that will treat them as such. The year 2012 marked the 18th year since the end of juridical apartheid and the onset of liberal democracy. August 16 2012, exactly 114 days after the country turned 18 – between April 24, 2012 and August 16, 2012 –…

The predicament of the DA leadership, with the coalition government in Tshwane and its regular losses of young leaders, has created speculation that the party is at a dead end. Most parties would have struggled to survive the resignation of a list of talented members such as Lindiwe Mazibuko, Mmusi Maimane, Phum- zile van Damme, Athol Trollip, Herman Mashaba, Mbali Ntuli, Maka- shule Gana, Bongani Baloyi and Patricia Kopane. Their histories are informative in the sense that they give us insight into the trajectories of mainly young and innovative politicians who have moved away from the DA. Gana, Ntuli and Maimane started their own movements like One South Africa. Gana and Songezo Zibi intend to start a movement based on the latter’s manifesto for a new South Africa. Mazibuko is…

Last week’s announcement by Turkey and Israel that they were normalising diplomatic relations after a four-year break was unsurprising, considering recent warming relations between the two countries, and Turkey’s reconciliatory foreign policy in the past year. Israeli President Isaac Herzog had visited Turkey in March, the first visit by an Israeli leader in 14 years. This was followed by an exchange of visits by the two foreign ministers, and numerous phone calls between senior leaders on both sides. The two states also signed a civil aviation agreement in July, paving the way for Israeli airlines to fly to Turkey for the first time since 2007. The main driver for Turkey is its economic crisis, with inflation at over 70% and a devalued currency that has increased the suffering of the…

Pope Francis has asked Pyongyang to invite him to North Korea, saying in a televised interview on Friday that he would not turn down a chance to visit and work for peace. A papal visit to the isolated, nuclear-armed country was previously floated in 2018 when Seoul’s former president, Moon Jae-in, embarked on a round of diplomacy with Pyongyang’s leader Kim Jong Un. Moon, who is Catholic, said during a summit that Kim told him the pontiff would be welcomed. Francis replied at the time that he would be willing to go if he received an official invitation. |…

COMRADES Marathon race director Rowyn James has expressed disappointment at hearing that former champion Gift Kelehe will not run today, but denied the athlete’s claims that he disrespected the elite runners. Kelehe said on Friday that he was pulling out of the 95th running of The Ultimate Human Race which he won in 2015 because he felt the Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) was not taking them seriously. The Hot Running Club star mentioned the reduced prize money, the lack of seconding, as well as utterances by James that he found tantamount to disrespect, as his reasons for skipping the race. James, who was surprised at being informed of the runner’s decision, said he found Kelehe to be disingenuous. “I am not even aware that Gift has pulled out. I didn’t…

FERRARI’S Carlos Sainz claimed pole for the Belgian Grand Prix despite finishing behind Red Bull’s world champion Max Verstappen in qualifying at Spa-Francorchamps yesterday. Sainz was the main beneficiary as a posse of drivers, including Verstappen, picked up penalties after fitting new power units to their cars for today’s 14th round of the season. Verstappen’s Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez starts alongside Sainz on the front row. This was Sainz’s second career pole after July’s British Grand Prix where he went on to claim his maiden win. “I’m happy to start from pole but not so happy when I see the gap we have to Max,” said Sainz, 0.632 seconds slower than Verstappen. Sainz’s Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc, 80 points adrift of Verstappen in the title race, took fourth in…

ARTHUR Zwane has vowed that “we’ll give it our utmost best to get a result” when they visit Stellenbosch in the MTN8 quarter-final this afternoon. In a season where they are expected to rebuild, Chiefs have had a lukewarm start, winning two games and losing three in five outings so far. Those losses have been pinned on some defensive woes, with Zwane already feeling the heat about his selection over players, such as Siyabonga Ngezana. But the man who’s expected to be the messiah to the Amakhosi faithful after their seven-year trophy drought could change their fortunes in the Wafa Wafa Cup. The MTN8 is won over four matches and Chiefs will be eager to progress to the semi-final at Stellies’ expense at Danie Craven Stadium this afternoon. “We respect…

Business travel can be a great way to improve productivity and performance, but it can also come at the expense of employee well-being. A study conducted by Collison found 35% of business travellers had concerns about the impact of travel on their mental health and admitted they had at some point given a false reason to avoid having to travel for work. Employees who frequently travel for work often face challenges other workers do not, affecting their mental health. They can feel isolated from their homes, family and regular routines. Changing time zones can also throw off their sleep patterns. All this negatively impacts employee productivity, negatively impacting the company’s bottom line. Bonnie Smith, Corporate Traveller GM, said employers should provide additional support to employees who travel for work to…